Killer Flies
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“You know that won’t work. First, that would mean total disclosure about the project. The government will never allow that. Second, you saw what those flies did to me in my protective suit, even when doused with poison.”
“You’re right. How about leaking it to the press?”
“I’d agree if we were talking about something less dangerous. We have a moral obligation to tell the people, but what do you think will happen when they find out? Panic. Even mass hysteria. Let’s wait and see if we have to.”
Carrie began to cry. “It’s all my fault.”
“Actually it isn’t. I was the one who initiated this project by creating the flies. Right now we don’t even know if any got out. Maybe we’re jumping the gun; all the mothers might have been eradicated by the insecticide.”
But John didn’t think so. The flies, especially the mothers, were stronger than any other representative of the Muscidae insect family.
* * *
People and animals started dying right away. At first it was just a few, then hundreds, then thousands. The government didn’t say a word, so John and Carrie leaked the story. The army never admitted any culpability in the flies.
Panic ensued. People believed it was the end of the world. The government’s top researchers tried to find a solution, but nothing seemed to eradicate the killer flies. The scientific community was baffled. There was no viral agent the flies didn’t eventually form an immunity to. Even the female fly pheromone vaccine ceased being effective.
John and Carrie started a research team that hypothesized that this strain of killer flies would overtake the planet in one year. After a hundred years the Earth might be habitable again, but would be deforested. John theorized that after thousands of years the flies would decimate all animal and plant life, then die off from starvation. And while the Earth would then be free of killer flies, the planet would be dead; incapable of supporting life.
* * *
Government Meets to Discuss Relocation Options
Washington, DC. Since the killer fly crisis began three years ago 11 different animal species have become extinct; mankind has lost over half of its race and the forests only remain in certain parts of Canada and Russia.
Leading scientist Dr. John Pankow has worked tirelessly with his wife Carrie to find a solution. He and his research team feel that little hope remains for a solution on Earth. They recently recommended that the human race relocate to another planet. The leaders of earth will meet next week to discuss how this might be accomplished.